Self-winding electric clock.



No. 694,546. Patented Mar. 4, m2.

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SELF WINDING ELECTRIC CLOCK.

(Application filed Sept. 25, 1900.)

I (No Model.)

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UNITED STATES P TENT OFFI E.

MAX HOEFT AND EMIL soHULTZ, OF BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSlGNORS TO MAX MoLLER, OF'ALTONA, G RMANY.

SELF-WINDING ELECTRIC CLOCK.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,546, dated March 4,

Application filed September 25, 1900. SerialNo. 31,016. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it ,mayoonceric:

Be it known that-we, MAX HOEFT, manufacturer, and EMIL SCHULTZ, watchmaker, of Trebbinerstrasse 12, in the city of Berlin, S. W.', in the Empire of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Closing Devicesfor the Winding of Elec-- tric Clocks; and we do hereby declare that" surfaces, and thus effecting with certainty the necessary closure of the circuit and to vent sparkingof the contact-surfaces.

The improved contact device .is characterized by a spring which is so arranged as not preto be under tension before and aftergbut only when the circuit is closed, and by the combination of this spring with a number of mechanical parts hereinafter described and claimed. V

Referring to the accompanying drawing, illustrating this invention, Figure l is an elevation of the improved contact device. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same on a larger scale, and Figs. 3 to 5 represent details.

Between the poles 2 of the electromagnetcoils 1 is pivoted, on a spindle 4, the lever-armature 3, to which is fastened aospiral or other spring 7,which has the tendency to turn the armature in one direction, the attraction of the poles 2 when the circuit .is closed being adapted to turn said armature in the opposite direction. a disk or suitably-shaped piece 10, from which rises a sleeve 9 and which has a curved contact-surface'll. To this disk is secured, by screws 12 g or other suitable means, a projecting angle or other shaped piece 13, having a contact-piece 14, above which there is a small pallet-like. or other suitably-shaped projection 15, hereinafter referredto simply as the pallet.

A narrowcontact-lever 16 is hinged on a pin 18, secured to an insulated base-plate 17 in any suitable or usual manner, and is c011- trollcd by a spring 20, screwed to an angle- On the armature 3 is fixed piece 19', so that the lever 16 always tends to turn toward the spindle 4, At this end the l'eve'r16 carries a screw 21 for securing an adjustable contact-pin, 22, which is capable of being raised or lowered in a hole drilled in the. lever 16. Behind the contact-pin 22 a plate of insulating material 23 is secured to the lever 16, and to its under side screws 24 attach a flat spring 25, terminating in a palletlike or other suitably-shaped piece 20,.which has twoinclined faces 27 and 28, which when the clock is going engage with the inclined faces 29' 30 on the pallet 15.

On the spindle 4 is fixed a ratchet-wheel 5, which when the armature is turned by the spring 7 is rotated by a pawl 6, secured to said armature, and is kept from returning when the armature returns by a pawl secured to the framework, Fig. 1.

The operation of the circuit-closing mechanism is as follows: When the armature 3 is -attracted, it will assume the position shown in Fig. 2,. In this position magnetism in the electromagnet 1 has ceased, and by the operation of the spring 7 the armature now slowly returns to the position shown in Fig. 1, in'

which the circuit is closed. In the return motion of the armature the inclined face 29, on the pallet 15 will first strike the incline 28' on the piece 26, and thus cause the contact-lever 16 to be raised. When the armature goes back further, the pallet-like piece 26 lies on the palletl5, Fig. 3, and the contact-pin 22 cannot therefore touch the contact-plate 14. Contact between these two only takes place when thearmature has been so far oscillated backward that the projecting edge of the incline 27 can pass the incline By these very simple means the contact is made and broken at (locally) different points of the contact-surfaces, and the contact of the contact-surfaces during the time the circuit is closed is very uniform and firm, (so that a deposit of dust upon the contact-surfaces will not prevent the circuit from being closed,) without, however, requiring the exercise of much force to move the contact-surfaces relatively to each other. Finally it has to be noted that the contact-pin 22 must always touch the contact-surface 14 when the lever 16 falls or moves toward the spindle 4, even if much worn. Accumulation of dust or foreign bodies cannot affect this, as when the armature goes back even any dust and the like accumulated on the curved surface 11 and the upper face of the pallet 15 will be brushed off by the leading edge of the plate 23 and the piece 26, respectively. The spring 25 only operates while the circuit is closed, and the friction produced by it does not check the going of the clock, not being therefore disadvantageous in that respect.

The friction continues for a short time only,

during which time it cannot well be dispensed with if the contact-surfaces are to remain clean and be protected against the sparking that would otherwise occur when closing the circuit, owing to the shaking or concussion to which such clocks are, as a rule, necessarily subject. This contact device therefore satisfies the highest requirements that can be made in such a device as to simplicity of construction and certainty of operation.

Instead of the pallet 15 a pin or the like can be used to raise and lower the pallet-like piece 26 as the disk 10 oscillates. This arrangement can, however, be reversed and a pin provided on the spring 25, working in combination with the pallet 15.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A contact device for electrical timepieces, and the like, comprising, in combination, an oscillating contact-piece; a lever fulcrumed with its free end proximate to said contact-piece a second contact-piece, secured to the arm of said lever; a spring secured to, and insulated from, said lever; and means to depress said spring and consequently said lever, and thus increase the friction between the contact-surfaces when the circuit is closed substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.

2. In an electric clock a contact device for making and breaking electric circuits, comprising, in combination, a lever hinged at one end; a spring attached to said lever; and means to depress said spring and, consequently, said lever and thus to increase the friction between the contact-surfaces, when the circuit is closed; substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.

3. In an electric clock a contact device for making and breaking electric circuits, comprising, in combination, an oscillating cam;

a contact-piece secured to said cam; an arm hinged at one end with its free end proximate to the edge of said cam; a spring secured to,

and insulated from said arm; a pallet-like piece secured to said spring; a pin secured to said oscillating cam and adapted, by oscillating to raise and lower said pallet-like piece,

and, consequently, indirectly, said arm; substantially as set forth.

4. In an electric clock a contact device for making and breaking an electric circuit, comprising, in combination, an oscillating cam;

a contact-piece secured to said cam; a lever hinged at one end with its free end proximate to the edge of said cam; a plate of insulating material secured to said lever and adapted by bearing on the edge of said cam to limit the downward stroke; a spring secured to said insulated plate; a pallet-like piece secured to said spring; a pin secured to said oscillating cam and adapted, by oscillating, to raise and lower said pallet-like piece, and, consequently, indirectly, said stantially as set forth.

5. The combination in a timepiece of: an electromagnet; a lever-armature, pivoted be tween, and adapted to be turned by the attraction of, the poles of said electromagnet;

a spring, adapted, on breaking the circuit to turn said lever-armature contrary to the direction of the attraction of said poles;- a contact-piece adapted to oscillate with said leverarmature and electrically connected with one pole of the source of electricity; an insulated lever hinged to a fixed part of the timepiece, and arranged with its end pressed toward said leverarmature; a second spring, at-

tached to, and insulated from, said lever; a

pallet-like piece secured to the end of said second spring; a second contact-piece, electrically connected with the other pole of the source of electricity, secured to said lever and adapted to bear in certain positions of said armature against the first contact-piece.

6. The combination in a timepiece of an electromagnet with two projecting pole-pieces; a lever-armature adapted to oscillate between said pole-pieces; a spring attached to said le- 1 I 5 ver-armature and adapted to turn said leverarmature in the opposite direction to that effected by the electromagnets; means for ad-, justing the tension of said spring; a contactpiece adapted to oscillate with said lever-ar- 1 20 mature and conductively connected with one pole of the source of electricity; an insulated lever hinged to a fixed part of the timepiece and arranged with its end pressed toward said lever-armature; a second spring,attached 1 2 5 to, and insulated from, said lever; a palletlike piece secured to the end of said second spring; a second contact-piece, electrically connected with the other pole of the source of electricity, secured to said lever, and adapt 13c ed to bear in certain positions of said armature against the first contact-piece; and a pin adapted to rotate with said lever-armature and depress said pallet-like piece and increase lever; sub- 90 the friction-between said contact-surfaces, when the circuitis elosedbythe said contact-pieces; all substantially as set forth.

.7. A contact device,for electrical timepieces and the like comprising, in combination, an

oscillating contact-piece; a lever fulcrumed with its free end proximate tosaid contact-f piece; a second contact-piece, secured to the arm of said lever; a spring attached to, and

insulated from, said lever; a pallet-like piece attached to the free end of said spring; apin adapted to oscillate with the. first contactpiece and to raise and depress said pallet-like I contact-piece; apallet-likepiece attached to the free end of said spring; a pin adaptedto oscillate withthe first-said contact-piece and piece; substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.

8. A contact device for electrical timepieces, and thelike, comprising, in combination, an oscillating contact-piece; alever insulated from, and fulcrumed with its, free end proximate to, said contact-pieee a second contactpiece, secured to said arm; a spring attached to saidv lever and insulated from the first-said to raise. and depress said pallet-like piece; substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.

9. Acontactdevice for electrical-timepieces,

and the like, c omprising, in combination, an oscillating contact-piece; 'a lever insulated from, and fulcrumed With its free end proximate to, said contact-piece a second contactpiece secured to said lever; a spring secured to, said lever and insulated from the first-said contact piece; and means to depress said spring and consequently said lever, and thus increase the friction between the said-contact-surfaces; substantially as set forth. V 10. In an electric" clocka contact device for making and breaking electric circuits, comprising, in combination, alever hinged at one end; a spring attached to said lever; a contact-piece adj ustablysecured to said lever; and means for depressing said spring, and, consequently, said lever andthus to increase the friction between the contactsurfaces,

Whenthe circuit is closed; substantiall yas and for the purposes, set forth.

In witnesswhereof We have hereunto signed,

ournames, this 20th day of August, 1900, in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses..

' MAX I-IOEFT.

EMIL' SCHULTZ: Witnesses: I i I 7' F AN SOHW YTERLEY, HENRY HASPER. 

